Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-02-10

Tseeusan called Kung-Wah. There was
no harbor, but the depth of the water
enabled us to get within a cables
length of the beach in comparatively
sheltered spot.
Captain Tabor had traded at this
island year before, and he knew that
the natives were all right as long as
they were kept in awe by a superior
force. There was trader on the isl
and who had large stock Of roots, and
after palayer lasting two days and
nights, the supercargo finally made
bargain with him. 1t was observed by
the captain that some change had come
over the natives, for on his previous
trip they had been eager to close a
bargain at any figure named. The ma
tives in our crew had been permitted to
go ashore, and a dozen or so of the
leading men of the island had come
aboard and inspected us. 1t was night
OF the second day before trade was
agreed upon. On the following day
we were to begin landing and receiv-
ing goods. There was Il big crowd of
natives on shore opposite the steamer,
and they had canoes, catamarans and
dhows enough to have embarked three
hundred people. Just before night
closed in we sighted large junk COM
| ing down from the direction of Formo-
sa, but gave her no particular atten-
ton. AT about nine O'clock she came
jogging along at tramp's gait and
dropped her mud hook within two hun
dred feet of us. gave her a looking
over with the night-glass, and as only
five or six men could be made out on
her decks it was natural to conclude
that she was trader.
Being in port, with fair weather for
the night, the crew might expect that
only an anchor watch would be main
tanned. The men must therefore have
been somewhat surprised when Cap
tain Tabor invited our five natives to
| go ashore, and spend the night with
their friends, and announced to the
rest of lis that we should stand watch
and watch. The cook was the only
native who did not 90. He declared
that he had enemies ashore who would
| kill him, and he was therefore allowed
to occupy his accustomed quarters.
There were ten of us besides him, and
soon after the Junk anchored, the guns
were cast loose and loaded with grape,
the firearms brought up and made
ready, and the engineer was instructed
to keep steam enough to permit us to
move. The cable was arranged for
slipping, and then five mon turned in
"all standing" and the other five of us
stood watch. Before this occurred the
captain said to me:
"Mr Graham, this may be going to
a good deal of trouble for nothing, but
the man who deals with these natives
has got to be prepared for any emer-
gency. If they trouble us it will not be
until after midnight. | will therefore
head the second watch. Keep your eye
on that junk, and permit no boat to
come aboard under any circumstances. v
| distributed my men over the vessel
to the best advantage, and reserved to
myself the right to act as a free lance.
That is, | went from one part of the
vessel to another, and kept one eye on
the junk and the other on the beach.
All was very quiet up to 1880 o'clock,
when made two discoveries in quick
: succession. The cook had prepared a
large dish of coffee for our use during
; the night. We had a large urn on a
: stand in one corner of the dining-room,
and a lamp underneath kept the coffee
hot. The same thing is in general use
in American hotels and restaurants.
; | was on the point of entering the
cabin to secure drink of the beverage
when, as | had passed an open window
9 | heard the cover of the urn rattle, anC
then caught the footsteps of some on,
g in retreat 1t could be none other thar
= the native cook, | argued, but | die
y not 90 to his quarters to verify or dis
: prove my suspicious. l entered tn,
: cabin, turned up the light, and care
= fully examined the urn. The rasca
II had certainly closed it. There wa
: Il grayish powder on the cover and OF
u the edge of the urn, aud in his haste h,
II had spilled some on the floor. A lool
: ;ne;Ja.ebov,o,l ,,,,,,o,o,,c a. l,loc -, Al.
d surface of the liquid, but thes
: broke and disappeared while l wa
looking. The rascal could have bu
u one object in his actions. / arranged
Il the can SO that no one could secure
II drink, and then started to notify tn
g captain. As l passed along the decl
/ looked for the junk, and in an in
II slant saw that she had decreased tn,
q distance between us. The tide wa
Il setting in and she was either draggin.
9 her anchor or had purposely raised i
Ut and allowed herself to drift. The cap
n tain was up rs soon as | touched hi
!, arm, and when l reported my suspi
o cions of the cook and the junk he rt
e piled;
II "Call all the men at once, but max
l. no noise, That junk has got fifty me-
= in her hold, and the natives on shor
II are in with plot to capture us. TAX
, a pair of handouts and have the coo
e secured in his BERTH
rs After | had called the men | went {
)t make prisoner of the cook, but h
re was nowhere.to be found. His obiec
Of in remaining aboard up to that hou
ID was to drug our coffee AMI note wha
K preparations we were making Whe
Of he got ready to 20 he probably swan
ID to the shore with his news, but he coul
a have reported little more than the fac
10 that he had drugged our coffee, wIic
Sc all who We're awake Mt midnight woul